Toward Practical Procedures for Predicting and Promoting Success in Virtual School Students

Abstract

Two lines of research have emerged to study the causes and prevention of student failure in virtual (K–12) schools: studies of learner characteristics and studies of learning environment characteristics. To develop a useful model for predicting failure and promoting success in virtual school environments, a study was designed to measure the relation between a combination of student and environmental factors derived from previous research and successful course completion during one semester at a large (N =?4,100) virtual school. Study findings yielded a model that can discriminate between successful and unsuccessful online school students and is especially effective at identifying those likely to succeed.     

THE PRACTICALITY OF IMPLEMENTING CONNECTED CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY IN SECONDARY MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE CLASSROOMS

Connected classroom technology (CCT) is a member of a broad class of interactive assessment devices that facilitate communication between students and teachers and allow for the rapid aggregation and display of student learning data. Technology innovations such as CCT have been demonstrated to positively impact student achievement when integrated into a variety of classroom contexts. However, teachers are unlikely to implement a new instructional practice unless they perceive the practical value of the reform. Practicality consists of three constructs: congruence with teacher’s values and practice; instrumentality—compatibility with the existing school structures; and cost/benefits—whether the reward is worth the effort. This study uses practicality as a framework for understanding CCT implementation in secondary classrooms. The experiences of three science teachers in their first year implementing CCT are compared with matched-pair mathematics teachers. Findings suggest that despite some differences in specific uses and purposes for CCT, the integration of CCT into regular classroom practice is quite similar in mathematics and science classrooms. These findings highlight important considerations for the implementation of educational technology.     

Enhancing Father Involvement in Low‐Income Families: A Couples Group Approach to Preventive Intervention

To address the problem of fathers’ absence from children's lives and the difficulty of paternal engagement, especially among lower income families, government agencies have given increasing attention to funding father involvement interventions. Few of these interventions have yielded promising results. Father involvement research that focuses on the couple/coparenting relationship offers a pathway to support fathers’ involvement while strengthening family relationships. Relevant research is reviewed and an exemplar is provided in the Supporting Father Involvement intervention and its positive effects on parental and parent–child relationships and children's outcomes. The article concludes with policy implications of this choice of target populations and the need to develop new strategies to involve fathers in the lives of their children.     

Drs. Strangelove or: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Job Search Process

The purpose of this paper is to provide prospective job applicants in higher education and others interested in the job search process with an account of three individuals' job search experiences. First, we outline our experiences and career goals as all but dissertation (ABD) candidates. Second, we sketch the steps that we took in the job search process: applying, interviewing, and receiving and responding to offers. Third, we compare and contrast our successful (received an interview) and unsuccessful (did not receive an interview) applications in ways to help understand the job search process. These comparisons include the level at which positions were advertised, percentage match for advertised positions, reasons for submitting applications, and time variables for the job search process. Finally, we offer suggestions for prospective applicants and search committees.     

The Origins of Parenting Stress During the Transition to Parenthood: A New Family Model

This paper describes the origins of parenting stress, defined both as tensions in the parent-child relationship and as broader changes in five family domains as men and women make the transition from couple to family life. Despite significant change in their average level of functioning, parents show continuity in their level of adaptation from pregnancy through the first five years of parenthood. Parenting stress emerges from the context of parents' individual and marital adaptation before the child is born. It is possible to identify expectant parents who are at risk for later parenting stress and lower well-being across employment and family domains. Path analyses show that men's and women's prior well-being and their involvement in paid work during pregnancy are associated with higher parenting stress—and lower self-esteem, marital satisfaction, family work satisfaction, and job satisfaction—two years later when their babies are 18months old. Stress in the parent-child relationship at 18 months postpartum compounds preexisting stress in other family domains to reduce well-being in other aspects of family life. Links among parenting stress, parenting quality, and children's adaptation to school lead to suggestions for preventive interventions early in the family life cycle.     

Khanya College Johannesburg: ten years of ‘education for liberation’: an assessment

Khanya College, a small tertiary access programme in Johannesburg, South Africa began operation in 1986. Making use of Freirian methodology and targeting activists involved in the anti‐apartheid struggle, the college has made a serious attempt to embody the notion of education for liberation. However, the college has faced serious constraints due to the conservative nature of the education system within which Khanya was forced to operate. Despite these constraints the college has succeeded in producing a number of politically active professionals as well as developing working relationships with mass organizations in the country. With the advent of democratic rule in South Africa in 1994, the college has been forced to evaluate its strategic orientation. The conclusion of Khanya has been to try to develop into a larger scale, comprehensive community college which still adheres to the ethos and methodology which inspired Khanya's founding.